Trailer



Nov. 8, 1932.

G. D PRATT ET AL TRAILER Filed May 21. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 w'zzzzferziozs Z7 Draif Nov. 8, 1932.

G. D. PRATT ET AL TRAILER Filed May 21. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 8, 1932. G. D. PRATT ET AL TRAILER Filed May 21, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w 7 a 5% gm m a w; 0 6, m 7

azgis 'ber of cars which may betransported atone onoizen iii PRATT irniiin'Yi sen-imam; on onioneo, irn uors, AssIoNo Rls' T0 j GERALD in nnninnsnnnfnnvtronp eniers, Berger .o'nrenoo, ILLINOIS The invention relates to trucks. or convey- 3' anoes and particularly to that type whichis designed to transport other'v'ehicles such. as automobiles; i

The invention has as one of itsprincipalobjects the provision of a truck having means whereby a vehiclesuch as anautoinobile may be 'loadednpon the truckand be arranged in a manner so that one-end of one. automobile overlaps anotherto thereby increase the numtime, Y 4 x A further'object of the invention is to pro- 3 vide a construction capable of accomplishing the abovewhich may, when occasion .demands, be employed to transport. commodi- -ties other than automobiles, as for instance,

the truck may be loaded Withantomobilesiat an automobilefactory and on its return trip V I read 111 vcon unction with carry any other-commodity: Whiohthe autot.

mobile company maybeidesirous of having delivered'to it suchas radiators,v fenders or any other articlethey may employ.

-A further object of theinvention is to-pro Wide a construction which maybe, connected with the ordinary trailer truck, the construc-' ion having means. whereby it: maybe supported atone end during the loading operation and during the period at which .the trail- 5 er. truck maybe in use. for someother purpose. V Another object of the invention is-to ,provide a truckerconveyance With a platform- .having side frames. arranged iatmopposite ed es of the platform, the side frames pro- Flt mg trackswhich extend from th-e.plat

form and havea portion thereotl'elevateda: relatively to theplatform to thereby permit .an-automobile to have: one end thereof ar- 1. an upon a further movementhave said end moved along the track and be elevated-rela- T tively to the plat oft'ne automobi i n and he opposite end is to thereby allow several 0 be arranged in an overlapping ionupon the truck with one end suped in an elevated position with the other end supg iorted by the platform;

The invention has as another object the provision of means whereby an automobile may .be conveyed-and: arranged in the-man: ner, gust described and in addltlon to provide carriages ;Wl1lCl1 are operable along thetracks,

- an element. thereof may .:end ofa' veh cle already hereof, i .1 llljthe drawings, F igQl-is, a sideelevation \ofone end the structure the manner n which a vehicle upon the d upon the inclined portion of the trael: .1;-

' tration;

:TitAr'n R i I carriages providingra 1 support for: that end of the automobile which is elevatdldur-efi ing movement thereof along the tracks. 3:; It lsaniobgect topr'ovide means for releasably locking. an automobile 1n pos1t1on relatively toftheitruokm,"

. A further object of the invention is topro-z;

.60 vide. means for storing or'-.housing :said carcriagesvwhenin disuse. --Theinvention has as another ob ect the provision i of; carriages With means Whereby pass, over the from; ice v arranged .for transportation-Within thetruckg i Theinvention has-these, and other objects, allot, which will be readily ,understood;when

the accompanying-T 7 drawings.Whiohillustrate one embodiment of which. the invention is susceptible, it being obvious that-changes. and modifications may be resorted towithout departing'from .the spirit of the appended claims forming ,a part 17:

of a truck constructed to accomplishthe above mentioned and other. advantages; f 8

aside elevation of the opposite. end

ofthe trucl: shown in Fig.1;

- Fig.3 is a side elevation of a. portion of. V

shown in'Figs. 1 and 2 showing is arranged F8 truck for transportation by the truck; i

\ .Fig.- 4 is asectiontaken on" line of Fig. ,5 is arsection taken :on line 555 of Fig.1;

Fig. ,6 isa side elevation-20f a portion of the structure shown'in Fig. i2,certain parts being broken; awayfor the purpose of illus Fig. 7 is a plan vievv of a portion ofthe platform of the vehicle; 1 i

- 1 {Fig-'8 is a perspective view of-acarriage orvehicle support adapted to ride upon the track of thestructure shownin Figs. "1' and" includes a floor or platform 11, and top rails 12-12 which are secured 'to'the opposite sides ofthe platform by means of uprights and struts designated 13 and 14:. The structure just described comprises the box of the truck within which automobiles and other articles may be arranged for transportation. Members respectively designated 15 and 16 which may, when occasiondemands, also be employed as tracks are also secured to the struts and uprights and extend longitudinally from the uprights 17 locatedat the forward end of the truck to the rearmost upright 13, from which said rails extend downwardly as indicated. at 18 to adjacent the rear end of the platform. The siderails 12 and 12 and the'tracks 15 and 16 are spotwelded or otherwise secured to the struts and uprights and the side sills, hereinafter to be referred to and are therefore securely held 'withrelation to the remaining structure forming the box or body of the truck. The forward end 19 of the truck is'provided with a platform 20 having a table'21 secured there- 'to, thetable being adapted to be associated with the turn-table 22 of a motor truck 23. The platform 20 provides'a support for a Wench 24:. This Wench 24% is provided to produce means upon which to Wind and unwind a cable 25 which travels over pulleys respectively designated 26 and 27, the latter of which is located near the platform 11.

The truck body generally designated 10 is provided with a wheeled support 28,-the lat ter being located adjacent the rear end of the structure. The forward end of the truck is provided with a supporting leg 29 which isbrought into use to support the forward end of the truck during the loading opera- 'tion of the truck and when this last mentioned end of the truck is disconnected from the motor truck generally designated 23.

It will-be noted that the tracks 15 and 16 are arranged a suitable distance below the top -or isideirails 121 2. to thereby provide means through the agency of these top rails -for holding vehiclesarranged upon said tracks against lateral displacement when arranged withithe .body'of the-conveyance. It

will be noted'by referring to Fig. 3 that the top rails 12.+12 are both channel-shapedFand that the ends thereof such as 30 decline to- --ward the .platform 11in a :manner similar to the tracks 15 and '16 and thus may, when occasiondemands, provide rails for'support- K ing'vehicles'mounted within'the truck body.

The invention contemplates the utilization of carriages such as are most clearly shown in Fig. 8 and generally designated 31 which are adapted to be arranged upon the rails 15 and 16 or the top rails 1212' to assist in conveying an automobile along the tracks. In practice, the carriages are positioned at the end of the incline of the rails to receive the rear wheels of the vehicle during the loading operation, and of course are brought to this same position during'the unloading operation to allow the automobile to be discharged from the carriages.

"A skid 32 is rested upon the platform ineluding the channel 33. The free end of the automobile to be drawnover the skids 32 during theloading operation. The carriages generally designated 31 each include receptacles respectively designated 35 and 36 which are preferably dished to thus provide 0 a structure which, in effect, provides a chock to hold the rear wheels against displacement relatively to the carriage. *During the loadoperation the cable 25 is wound around the wench' which causes the truck 31 to travel 1 1 upwardly of either of the inclined portions of the rails 15, 16 or 12-12 and then along the horizontal portion thereof with the forward end of theautomobile riding upon the removable planks or supports 11a. which convcy it to the platform 11. The automobile is drawn along either pair of rails to the desired position relatively to the truck platform and is then releasably locked with therear end of the automobile elevated rela- .tively to the forward end thereof. It is, of course, understood that the carriages such as shown in Fig. 8 are releasably connected with the rear axle of the automobile,'the par- .ticular means for accomplishing this may include a chain section such as 37 which is connected to a shaft 38 of the carriage generally designated 31. The chain section may be wrapped around the rear axle of the autoeration and also cause the rear-end of the mobile and then connected to the other shaft n such as 39 of the carriage generally desig nated 31. These shafts 38 and 39 extend through and support the receptacles 35 and 36,.and each of these shafts have their opposite ends provided with a roller such as 40 which is adapted to ride upon the tracks .hereinbefore referred to. Each of these rollers &0 is provided with a tubular extension L1 in which the ends of the shafts such as 38 and 39 are respectively journalled, the

shafts being also rotatably mounted relatively'tothe receptacles 35 and 36. These shafts 3S and 39 are bent or bowed between the re ceptacles, and are constructed in this manner so that when these shaft sections are coni nected with the rear axle of an automobile, the bowed portion extends 111 an upwardly direction to thereby allow this portion to be passed over the hood of an automobile previously mounted within the body of the truck generally designated 10. After the automobile is located in the desired position upon the rails within the truck body, said automobiles are releasably anchored to thetruck body. To accomplish this last mentioned feature, the platform is provided throughout intervals of its length with a plurality of key-hole-shap'ed apertures 42 through which one end of an anchor 43 having an enlargement is adapted to be inserted and then moved to the smaller portion of the key-holeshaped opening which will lock this end of the stays or cables such as 44 and 45 relative- 1y to the platform. The opposite ends of these stays are respectively connected with the front and rear axles 34 and-46 of the automobile arranged for transportation by the truck which will thus anchor said automobile in position within thetruclr body. It is evident that when unloading of theauto mobiles from the truck is desired, all that is necessary is to disconnect the ends ofthe cables from the axles of the automobile which will free the automobile and allow them to be moved toward the rear end of the truck, it being understood that the cable 25 is connected to the front axle of the particular car being unloaded to thereby regulate or control movement thereof toward this end of the truck. lVhen the dished receptacles of the carriage reach their lowermost position relatively to the inclined portion of the tracks, it can be readily understood that the position and form of the receptacles facilitates removal of the rear wheels therefrom. In addition it is evident that when the receptacles of the carriages are'arranged in this last mentioned position to receive the rear wheels of an automobile that the construction of the receptacles assists in accomplishing this last mentioned advantage as it is evident that the rear end of the automobile may be readily rolled into or rolled out of the receptacles of the carriage, it being understood that the carriage is removed from the platform after it has performed this function.

As before stated, the invention also contemplates the provision of means for housing the carriages such as shown in Fig. 8 in amanner so that they will not consume any space within the truck body. This is of advantage since on occasions it is desirable to load the truck body with commodities which do not require the carriages for the purpose of loading or unloadin the truck. To this end rovision 1 is made below the platform in the form of a compartment within which to arrange the carriage. To facilitate insertion of the carriages within the compartment just referred to, the platfo rm' 11 and side frames- 47 'and -48of the truck frame are "each constructed to provide an opening 49 and the tracks such as 15 and lo areea'ch provided with a removable track section 50, which provides a gate;

- controlling the passage of *the carriages throughthe opening '49. v flhese' openings :49 lead 9 to the-1 compartment generally designated 51 which'is formed bythe'pl'atform and therails and 53 which are spaced a'suit-Y able distance below the platform and side sills and 48,"the 'rails'52-and' 53-being held in this relation'relatively to the'remainderof the truck frame through the medium of the IAs before stated, the side rails such as 15 and 16 are each provided with removable tr'ack sections such as50,"these track-sections 15 16 and..50;being releasably locked together bymeans ofthe shouldered tongue 57 which is passed throughfan aperture 58 provided in therail sections 1516. *Vfhen it is desired tointroduce one or more of the carriageslinto the compartment 51', the

supports 544-54. 1 The compartmentthus-S removable rail sectionsiO are disconnected 95 from the rail sections 16 and one end of --a carriage is then passed through the opening 49.?provided' in the side sills .or rails 47 and 48 and isithen moved relatively to'the rails-52 to arrange the opposite end of-the carriage so ,thatit may be passed through the opening 49. After the oppositeendof the carriage hascbeen passedthrough the opening :49, 'the'rollers rest upon the respective rails #52 and 53lwhichwill allow the carriages to be moved toward-the front end of the1compartment 51 in which they may be stored until occasion for theireuse again arises. V c p To provide the necessary strength at the opening 49,

l the sections of the side sills 47 and 48 are connected together through the agencyofa reenforcing bar 59 which con meets the respective sections of the side sills together and. a-cross piece 60 is employed to afurtherincreaseithestrengthof, the structure Jat thispoint. This ,reenforcing cross beam 6O1is located below the lowermost flange ;of thesi lflsills '47 and 48=and the rails '52 and 53, the rails52 and 53 0f the compartment 51 are each provided with a depression .61 toalflow for clearancebetween the'reenforcing beam 60 and the adjacent portion of these tracks-and thus permitthe wheels of the carriage'to clear the cross beam 60: and allow said whee-ls tobe passed beyond said beam.

When: the carriages are located below. the platform 11 in the manner just described, the shaft sections 38 and 39rmay, if so desired, have the chain section 87co-nnected thereto in amanner to hold the shaft sections in a more or less elevated condition to prevent interference "between them and some obstruction on gtheroad. I

From the foregoing description of the inventiomit is manifest that a simple construction is provided for transporting vehicles such as automoblles which mcl-udes means for elevating one end of the vehicles contained wit-hinthe truck body'relatively'to the platform of thetruck' body. It is further evident that the use of the carriages hereinbefore re- ;ferred toprovides means for permitting the vehicles to 'be easily moved-along the rails.

It is further'zmanifest that thestructure includes means in-zwhich to housethe several carriages in a manner so that the truck body may be employed entirely for the transportation of other commodities such as hereinbe- .fore referred to. a

Having thus described the invention, what we claimand desire to cover by Letters Pat- 'ent is: i

1. In a device ofvthe character described, in combination, a conveyance having a platform, a framework located adjacent-the op posite edges of'the platform,said frame Work providing a track havinga portion which is elevated relatively to the platform and having a portion thereof inclined toward said 7 platform to thereby provide means for elevating and supporting one end of a vehicle conveyed along said track, and means for re- 7 leasably seeuringthe: vehicle at various positions with respect to the track.

2. In a device of'thecharacter described, in combination, a conveyance having a platform, a frame work located adjacent opposite edges of the platform, said frame workproviding a trac'kwhich is elevated relatively to the platform and having a portion which is inclined toward said platform to thereby provide means for elevating and supporting one end of a vehicle conveyed along said track, said track including a. removable section providing a gate controlling a storage compartment. a

p 3. In a conveyance of the kind described having a platform, 'a plurality of rails providing a track having a portion elevated relatively to the platform, and a portion inclined toward the platform, a carriage in which one end of a vehicle is adapted to be arranged, said carriage being movable along the track to elevate said end of the vehicle, said carriagehaving a shaft which extends from one rail to the other, said shaft being bent between V the ends thereof to allow said carnage to be passed over an end of a vehicle, having the opposite end supported'by said track.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 18th day of October A. D., 1929. a

HENRY C. GUILLAUME. GEO'D. PRATT.

wnesmas 

